Episode
Meet the Likweli: The orange-lipped monkey hidden in DR Congo
- Podcast
- What in the World
- Published
- Jul 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 646
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct98xq
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Summary
A monkey with striking orange lips and a black furry coat has been officially recognised as a new species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was first spotted back in 2008, but at the time researchers only managed to capture a blurry photograph, leaving many questions unanswered. Years later, after extensive fieldwork and research, scientists have finally confirmed it as a species new to science. They've named it “Colobus congoensis”, while local communities have long known it as “Likweli”. Our BBC Science Correspondent Victoria Gill reveals what makes this monkey so special and how researchers finally solved the mystery of its identity. Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Stefania Okereke Editor: Verity Wilde